2.16.2010

HOW did it take me this long to post the house from It's Complicated. I don't know. I actually sat in the movie thinking, "I can't wait to go home and google the stills from the set!"* and then somehow I totally let it slip. Inexcusable.

So, to make up for the delay, I'll do a massive post and even include pics from Meyers' previous movies...

More after the jump
*(#whenyouknowyou'reanerd)

For the unitiated, Meyers is the writer and director of Something's Gotta Give, Father of the Bride, and The Holiday in addition to It's Complicated... essentially she is the doyenne of the thinking girl's romantic comedy featuring older actors and great houses. ...or maybe she's just created her on niche. Either way, she's great.

All of the houses for those films were also designed by the same production designer, Jon Hutman, and the last two have also had the same set decorator - Beth Rubino. Below, a brief detour into her past films.

Above, the Father of the Bride house. I actually decided at age 5 when I saw Father of the Bride for the first time (the first of many, many times), that I wanted to live in Pasadena because I found out that's where this house was. I had no idea where Pasadena was.

Above and below, the kitchen seen round the blog world, from Something's Gotta Give. This kitchen was actually copied by countless people (they were published) who broke down exactly what makes it good (like dark floor, white cabinets, dark counter and hardware),and then reproduced minutia down to things like the exposed hinges on the cabinets and the stove with red knobs.

The living room of the SGG house-- this rug also became a smash hit and the vendor, this random rug company used by the set designer, sold out.

Dining room from SGG:

and finally, pool from SGG:

Ok, back to It's Complicated...

(Mom-- it's the vindication you've always hoped for! She has her appliances out on the counter and no one's stopping her. And the kitchen still looks awesome. Sorry for always trying to hide your appliances, if Nancy Meyers does it, I guess I can accept it!)

Meyers, who is an interior-design lover herself, actually has her personal decorator, James Radin, work with the production designer on her projects to achieve exactly the look she's after. In fact, the beloved Hamptons house from Something's Gotta Give was based on her own home.

However, having read more on the subject on blogs obsessed with Meyers' films' sets (you think I'm obsessed? I barely scratch the surface), his exact role is debatable, as he is only credited with a "thanks" in the film, but he includes many set photos in his personal portfolio.

According to the Traditional Home article, since so much of the movie was shot in the house, Meyers wanted Streep to look good in it and had the color palette (of lots of creams, neutrals, and oranges) done to complement her coloring. Clever! Who was it that said you should decorate your house so that you always look good in it?

Though the house is Spanish colonial, much of the interiors follow the Belgian trend (that Restoration Hardware has up-and-run with) going on right now-- bleached wood, neutral slipcovers, slate-topped tables, etc. I'm not complaining.

It is interesting to note that though the house does always look good, it looks much better in the stills from the actual movie than the staged shots of the set... goes to show what the right lighting can do!!

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